Regarding the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP), and the discussion’s and facts provided by both sides, some thought should be given to the reality of transporting fuel anywhere, whether In the United States or elsewhere. Oil tankers often smash on rocks, or sink in collisions, and leak oil. Not to mention that tanks are often rinsed out at sea. Coal trains regularly run off their rails and create havoc. High-powered transmission wires are extremely ugly, and the alternative to putting them on towers is to bury them, which in itself creates a host of problems. Trucks are subject to weather conditions, and often roll over, causing oil or gasoline spillage and serious risk to life and limb.

While windmills seem promising, they are not particularly attractive and kill thousands of bats and birds. Both windmills and solar panels take up huge amounts of land, and the product of both — electricity, must be transported on transmission lines. And both windmills and solar panel areas are dependent on weather which must be favorable. Power plants can, essentially, be built anywhere, while windmills can only be built where there is wind.

So let’s consider, for a moment, oil and gas pipe lines. Yes, they can leak, and gas lines can explode, all of which can harm the environment, and can cause serious harm and death to persons nearby.

Yet for the amount of product that oil and gas pipelines transport, the accidents are minimal. This is so because of the many safeguards built into the systems. But they can and do happen, and people and property, unfortunately, can be harmed.

I live about half-a-mile from the proposed pumping station, and I will not lose a moment of sleep when it’s built. To drive to Scottsville, which I do quite often, I cross three gas pipe lines, and that’s in fewer than 20 miles. One was built recently to provide fuel to the new power generating station, and I don’t remember any comments when that was built, except that the county would increase its power grid, something that is necessary since Buckingham, as everywhere, continues to expand and needs more power.

We live in an environment that uses vast amounts of energy, continues to expand, and thus will need even more energy. While I dislike the concept of fracking, I accept that natural gas, while not pollution free, is less of a polluter than oil, and far less a polluter than coal.

In the world in which we live, nothing remains stagnant. Our communities need more power both to maintain current needs and to be able to attract business and development. Yes, there is a huge upsurge in electric car manufacturing, and many companies are experimenting with them. Suppose the day comes when all the cars and trucks are electrically powered. How will the they get their power?

Will the electricity needed to power these cars come solely from wind and solar energy? Can solar and wind energy supplant the millions and millions of gasoline cars currently being used daily here in the U.S.?

We don’t like gas lines. But we do like to have a warm house in winter, a cool house in summer. We like to have gasoline to put into the car. That simply won’t happen with wind and solar, so we’ll have to expand the fossil fuels, of which natural gas is the cleanest.

JOHN SYKES is a resident of Buckingham. He can be reached via email at johnsykes890@ gmail.com.